Flexiride Arena Surface Advice Sand Underneath or On top

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thezulu

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I had the (misfortune) of putting Equestrian Direct Flexiride surface down in my 20x40 arena approx. 5 years ago. I think it had only just started. I was advised by them it would be perfectly fine to put over the top of my existing (but very thin and disappearing woodchip) surface. For 3 years it was OK, my friends with ponies loved riding on it. But, I wasn't so happy on my 18hh Warmblood. The last thing he needed was a bouncy surface. But it was fine and knitted together quite wall and didn't really track. I did as I was told an harrowed and rolled frequently to keep it compact.

After about 3 years it started to ride extremely deep. My new sharper 5 yo frequently making holes about a foot deep and lunging totally impossible (and I don't let her fly around) without it looking like the battle of the Somme had taken place.

I phoned equestrian direct who said I need to add their new fibre to it which would bind it back together.... For horse health issues I have mainly hacked, so didn't phone them back for a few months to place the order as the arena now totally unusable without harrowing and rolling every 20mins! They advised they didn't make the fibre anymore and to put sand over the top... Its at this point I started to lose what little faith I had in them.

I have finally admitted defeat and accepted that I need to spend a further £10k to have the entire surface taken up and silica sand put down and hopefully put some of the Flexiride back on top. I would like to know the following:

Does anyone have experience of Sand with Flexiride on top? Is it mixed in initially or do you put on top as you would rubber. How do you then level?

Does anyone have Flexiride underneath with sand on top? as suggested by Equestrian Direct. If so. How has this worked for you? I really cannot afford to mess this up again, but this would obviously be the far easier option! But want to get it right.

I would like a nice firm surface suitable for a 16.3hh horse to do all disciplines.
 
I have a synthetic surface which is identical to Flexiride. It's made of chopped car carpet, headlining, felt and foam. We have had it down a yea. We laid the surface down and then ran 60 tonnes of crag sand through the top of it. I think it's fantasic, it's springy but supportive, it barely moves and I haven't levelled since the initial time in a year. Yes if any if mine has a bucking fit lunging I need to kick bits back into place, as you would with any surface, but otherwise it is very stable. The sand keeps it damp and probably stabilises it.
Could it be the woodchip making yours unstable? Is your woodchip in membrane?
 
Thanks, I have spoken to ED again today and they have said the best option is to put sand on top. They rarely put down now without sand on top. Possibly because mine hasn't had much use they have advised this is why it has separated so much and the woodchip is so negligible it wont make a difference. I am going to see a local school shortly with flexiride and sand on top. Fingers crossed!! They have advised put 20 tonnes down and then maybe top up with another 20 tonnes. This will be far cheaper than taking all up!
Your comments sound positive.
 
Do you know who originally installed the arena?
I would not spend any more good money on bad and I would suggest that you consider having the entire manage/arena re-built using someone like Martin Collins who really understand what they are talking about.
www.martincollins.com
 
I'm a long time lurker and just has to register when i saw this thread.

In December last year we took delivery of our new surface, which is identical to flexiride. We had gone through the whole situation in great detail with the company we bought it from, explaining that we had a partial existing surface already in place (a degraded but very firm equestrian woodchip), we were advised to roll the remains of the existing surface, lay a geotex membrane down and install the new surface.

From day one the surface has never knitted together correctly and very quickly began to ride very deep. We then called the supplier who came out to see the issue and it became very apparent that the remains of the existing degraded woodchip underneath was causing the issues. The rain was going through the new surface and being retained in the old surface and when we pulled up sections of the new surface to have a look we are shocked to find the remains of the existing woodchip have simply turned to mushy mud/top soil consistency. The company did not advise us correctly but advised us to the best of their knowledge but admit they have never come across their product being installed over the top of the remains of an existing woodchip surface and advised us for the surface to be rideable and safe, it must be installed on a compacted (which ours was and very firm prior to installing the new surface), to allow it to knit together and ride as it should.

Our arena has been closed now as it is a health and safety risk and we are in the process of moving all of the new surface off it (by hand!), to enable us to get diggers in to remove the remains of the old surface and once we ensure that we have adequate drainage (as it now appears the old surface which has now completely rotted will have almost certainly have blocked the drains), once drainage has been restored we then it is membrane, hardcore, silica sand and then finally he new surface back down. This is the only way you can resolve the problem believe me!! I do not want anyone else to have to endure what a nightmare we have had due to the remains of the woodchip! We had tried sand over a section to see if this eliminated the issue rather than remove the whole surface but it just made it ride even deeper and joined the degraded woodchip.

It has also cost us thousands already and yet more expense to come but as OWLIE185 says, do not spend anymore money on bad. We are in the same situation that we have got the new surface now and don't have endless funds to allow us to go to an arena contractor to get a whole new arena (I wish I could after all the heartache!).

Please PM me if you need anymore information on our rebuild, we have had every man and his dog out to assess the situation and absolutely everyone has confirmed the remains of the degraded woodchip must come out (even though it was rock solid before the new surface went down!).

Sorry for you but don't want you to make another costly mistake buying sand thinking it will work as very sadly it won't unless your old woodchip is totally removed.

Best wishes

Xx
 
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Thank you very much Makemineacob.... I think LOL. I was totally resigned to take the whole thing up and start again (which is what I had been getting quotes for). Then this morning I saw light at the end of the tunnel as a quote person who came round on Saturday said you could try putting sand on top (and he had never seen the surface before), which also coincided with what ED had said. But... I am scared I am just going with what I want to hear.

Martin Collins arena.... only in my dreams. This is a home yard, with just myself riding. In no way is this financially viable unfortunately. The original constructor made no errors at all and was not involved with the flexiride. I put it all down by hand.

The Arena is only 8 years old, built exceptionally well with a reputable company. But because we were on a budget we cut on surface by having woodchip to start with. This was actually fine for 3 years, never deep at all, just disappeared. ED advised to put Flexi on top which was like music to my ears. Again worked fine for a few years, albeit a bit bouncy for my liking.

There is no membrane between woodchip and flexi. To be honest the woodchip is still very firm and compact (where there is some left). There seems to be split opinion on whether this has caused the issue with the flexiride. ED seem to think no, but they could be covering themselves on their original advice. My nextdoor neighbour purchchased the same surface a year later and they advised her to take all woodchip up. Her surface is OK, but she only has 12hh arab. I still think her surface would do the same if I rode in it. ... Which I may do to check.

Its just sooo, much money. I need to get it right this time.
 
I hope it helps you to make a more informed choice as we are the same, our arena is at home. We laid the surface by hand ourselves also and followed everything to the letter on what we were told. We have just three horse who have ridden on it since December and wasn't in use everyday, we are shocked just how much water has been retained under the new surface. I would urge you to have a good rummage around and check any areas where you may have strike through to your woodchip as we thought the surface underneath had stayed firm until we started to investigate further and having now cleared half of our 40x20 arena by hand we are truly shocked how many puddles we have in hoof shaped holes.

I really hope you can find a solution to your arena problems, it just sounds so similar to ours. Perhaps you may be able to try just one area of sand like we did and I truly do hope it works for you and you're not left having to do what we are now undertaking.

Xx
 
Following numerous phone calls to Equestrian Direct this week, who are now being very helpful and a visit to a yard who has Flexiride with sand on top I have decided to take the plunge and do as they have advised and put 40 tonne of sand on top. They have convinced me this is the best thing to do and financially for me really is the viable option. The arena that I went to see was amazing. It was obviously the same Flexiride I have but, actually firm and nicely binding together. I do anticipate the 40 tonne I put on top will disappear a bit and maybe some more will need to be put down in the future. But this will still be cheaper by far than taking the whole lot up and starting again! This is all going to be done in a few weeks time. I will post again after a few months, so that future people see if this has worked and hopefully solve any problems they may have (so annoying that many posts you never find the conclusion)
 
To finish this thread off.... after much consideration and advise. We had the whole surface disposed of and a whole new surface of flexiride put down with 40 tonne of sand put over the top! Not the cheap option, but as least my next door neighbour took the old surface for a turnout area. I just couldn't afford to get it wrong again and it became very clear it was the woodchip causing the issue. I have been exceptionally happy with this and seems to me the best way to firm the flexiride. Its a shame I cant actually ride on it though as the week before I had this put down my horse started suffering respiratory issues!!! who would have them!
 
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